Improvement in lamps



IRA w. SHALER,

improvement in Lamps.

Patented Oct. 10, 1871.

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PATENT Qrrroa.

IRA W. SHALER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN LAMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 119,88' 7, datedOctober 10, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA W. SEALER, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kingsand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Hydrocarbon Lamps; and I here by declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, which represents a sectional elevation of a lampconstructed in accordance with my said invention.

The invention-subject of this patent relates to burners of lamps whichare designed to burn the known illuminant hydrocarbon fluids, butpreferably of the lighter and cheaper kind, which have heretofore beengreatly discarded because of the danger attending their use. In orderthat the principle of my said invention may be understood, I deem itnecessary to explain the causes which, in my opinion, rendered the useof the lighter hydrocarbons dangerous. These hydrocarbons wereheretofore consumed in lamps with small wick-tubes, with which care wastaken to tightly pack in the collar of the fluid-containing vessel, andthe wick-tube in its turn was filled, as perfectly as was practicable,with a wiokin g, the object being to allow no fluid to escape, as itwould instantly ignite and envelope the vessel in a flame. But thesemeasures of precaution were inadequate, since the fluid, following upthe wicking, protruding from the wick-tube, would flow over. The fluidthus conveyed to the outside of the vessel may remain in a fluidcondition, or vaporize and produce, with air, an explosive compound.Numerous devices were devised and employed to obviate these results, butnone, to my knowledge, has been successfully introduced. The object ofmy invention is, therefore, to burn with safety and good illuminanteffects hydrocarbon fluids of any description; and to this effect I haveconstructed a lamp, which, in point of simplicity, and cheapness ofconstruction, and economy of use, is such that it is accessible topersons of humblest means; and my invention consists in the employment,in combination with such tubular wick, of a surrounding wick-tubeforming part of the cap or cover of the fluid-vessel, said tubeinclosing the tubular wine-gauze wick up to or above its diaphragm, asand for the purposes hereinafter shown and described; and my inventionfurther consists in the employment, in combination with the wiregauzewick and its surrounding tube, of a wiregauzediaphragm, closing theorifice of the fiuidvessel around the wire-gauze wick-tube, ashereinafter shown and described. To enable others to make and use mysaid invention, I shall now describe the manner in which the same is orm y be carried into elfect, and, referrin g to the accompanying drawing,A is the oilvessel, which may be made of glass, metal, or other suitablematerial, and of any form according to taste or uses for which the lampmay be destined. This vessel is provided with a screw-collar, B, intowhich is screwed the cap 0, carrying the metal tube D, preferably asshown in the drawing, so as to project downward a short distance belowthe diaphragm H, hereinafter referred to. Instead of the wickin g suchas is commonly used in lamps burning the lighter hydrocarbon fluids, Iinsert into the tube D a roll or tubing of fine wire gauze, G. It is notnecessary to secure the laps together; As a general thing the rollformed of this material does not unfold, and the slight tendency of theroll to open renders its adjustment in the tube, after the same shallhave been perfected, permanent. At a distance of about twice itsdiameter from the upper end of the roll there is a diaphragm ofwire-gauze, h. To effect the proper adjustment of the tubular wire-gauzewick in the tube D, it is necessary to place the top of the wick-tube Din the same plane or thereabout with the diaphragm h. Ifthe diaphragm beabove the top of the tube D, the best result will not be attained, butthere is no objection to its being below the top. Upon the tube D ismounted, so as to be adjustabe thereon, a sleeve, M. To effect this afemale screw-thread is cut on the interior of the sleeve, and a flange,N, on the lower end of the sleeve is provided for conveniently turningthe sleeve in order to adjust it in relation to the wick-tube and itsinclosed wiregauze tubing.

Having described the construction of the lamp, I shall now explain itsfunctions and operations. The lamp being filled with oil and thescrew-cap with its tube, and the inclosed wire-gauze roll and theflame-adjusting sleeve properly applied, it is ready to be lighted. Thewire-gauze roll, by its strong capillary action, draws a small portionof the oil up to the top of the wire tubing, so as to keep it constantlymoist and therefore ready to be ignited instantly whenever a match isapplied but any excess of the fluid is returned to the vessel, as itcannot overflow, as would be the case if a fibrous wicking were used.The ascent of the fluid is greatly assisted by wicking confined withinthe folds of the wire-gauze between the diaphragm h and the lowerextremity of the roll, which, for the more perfect confinement of thewicking, may also be closed by a like diaphragm, or simply by bendingthe folds together, as shown in the drawing. The important functions ofthe upper diaphragm, however, are to allow no explosive mixture to formwithin the oil-vessel, and to exclude any inflammable matter-frompenetrating therein. Numerous experiments made by me have demonstratedto my entire satisfaction that with the use of the wire-gauze tube anddiaphragm it is impossible to produce explosion. I have also subjectedthe lamp while ignited to the severest tests, such as upsetting it,ejecting the fluid by means of collapsible bottom, and so as to forciblydraw air into the interior, but I have not been able to produceexplosion or other effects indicative of danger. There is but oneinstance in which careless handling of the lamp might produce accidentalexplosion, and that is the filling of the lamp while it is burning. Itis not uncommon with ignorant or reckless people to unscrew the top andlift it and fill the vessel while keeping the wick burning and dipped inthe fluid. To provide against accidents from this source I secure in theneck of the vessel the wire-gauze diaphragm H, as shown and beforeexplained. Now if the top be unscrewed and lifted entirely off thevessel, so that the wick and wire-gauze tube are entirely out of thefluid, then, of course, the light will go out and the vessel may befilled without any danger at all; but if the top be lifted so as to keepthe wire tubing and wick (if it contains any) dipped in the fluid, so asto supply the flame, then the diaphragm H, closely fitting the wiretube, effects a proper separation of the fluid Within the vessel fromthe flame or fluid without, and therefore communication of i gnitedvapors are intercepted. The flame of the lamp when in use may beregulated by the sleeve M, as that is usually done in similar lamps. Afurther fimction of the wire-gauze diaphragm is to tap, as it were, thetubular wire-gauze Wickthat is, to prevent an excess of fluid frompassing up the wick beyond it, and thus overflowing the lamp.

Having thus described my said invention, I shall state my claims asfollows:

1. In lamps of otherwise ordinary or suitable construction, thecombination, with a tubular wire-gauze wick provided with a wire-gauzediaphragm, as described, of a surrounding tube forming part of the capor cover of the fluid-vessel, said tube inclosing the wire-gauze wick upto or about its diaphragm, substantially as herein shown and set forth.

2. The combination, with the tubular Wiregauze wick, its diaphragm, andsurrounding tube, of a wiregauze diaphragm, closing the orifice of thefluid-vessel around the wire-gauze wick, substantially as shown anddescribed.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification beforetwo subscribing witnesses.

IRA W. SHALER.

Witnesses:

A. PoLLoK,

EDM. F. BROWN. (90)

